Tackle block



Mar. 20, 1923.

w J.LE"E

TACKLE BLOCK Filed Dec 30 1921 Patented Mar. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

wILLim J. LEE, or EASTON, rE NsYLvANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MARINE DEGKING AND SUPPLY 00., or rn nnnnnrnm, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

TACKLE BLOCK.

Application filed December 30, 1921.

T all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. Lnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have ,in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Tackle Blocks, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relatesv to tackle-blocks of thejso-called safety or self-locking, type. Heretofore pivotal latches or the like have been provided to, grip or bind the hoisting rope. vIn the employment of such latches or the like it has been necessary to depart more or less from, the standard tackle-block re quirements either in the plates, sheaves or other parts sothat in replacing Worn parts conventional tackle-block equipment can not beutilized. Another disadvantage has been that with the tackle-block in a position out of perpendicular the tendency of the latch feature to properly function is interferedwith. Inisome instances these latches require, manual operation thus requiring the 2 operator to'remove one hand from the hoisting rope the disadvantage of which is readily apparent.

he leading object of the present invention is to overcome the above described disadvantageous features and provide a tackleblock of standard type having applied thereto fixed locking means for efliciently gripping or binding a hoisting rope irrespective of the position ofthe tackle-block. A further object resides in the arrangement, connection and construction of parts for attaininglthe results sought by the leadingobject. Ot er and further objects not at this time more particularly set forth will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described. and finally claimed.

, The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1, is a vlew in side elevation of a" tackle-block embodying features of the invention, part of the shell being broken away for clearer illustration.

gig. 2, is'a view thereof in end elevation,

Serial No. 525,918.

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary view, in horizontal section, illustrating details of construction.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawin s one form thereof which is at presentpreferred by me, since the same'has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to-be understood that the various instrumentalities of which In invention consists can be variously arrange vention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

' In the drawings 10 designate the side plates and 11 the central dividing-plate of a standard pressed steel tackle-block. Rivets 12 and 12 are employed for securing the plates in position, separators 13 being present at the bottom of the block but are not requiredat the block top as will p'resently appear. 14: designate standard sheaveswhich are located one upon each side of the dividing-plate which sheaves are journaled upon pintle 15. The above described parts being of standard construction, may, when worn be readily replaced with conventional repair-parts. At the top of the tackle-block and straddling the central dividing-plate is a bifurcated spacer 20 for the plates 10, rivet 12' passing therethrough and rigidly clampingsaid spacer between the side plates 10. Formed integral with the spacer and extended beyond the shell of the block is a support 16 which may be a hook or the like for suspending the block. Also formed integral with the spacer and extended at an angle from that portion thereof between a side-plate and the division-plate and of a width equal to the distance between such side-plate and division-plate is member 17. The outer end of this member is formed upon an arc of a circle and extends for a distance appreciably beyond the axis of the pintle 15. Member 17 is bifurcated as at 18 and as shown in Fig. 2, such bifurcated portion is of substantially inverted V-shaped configuration and the opposite walls thereof are fluted as at 19. The fluted portions are formed upon arcs of circles and extend from the free end of member 17 toward said spacer 20. The tackle-block is reeved with a rope 21 in the regular manner.

and organized and that my in- When a load is to be lifted by means of the above described tackle-block pull upon vated to the desired height and is to be kept in that position without further pulling on the rope, a very slight movement of the rope in the direction of arrow ballows the rope to come 1n contact With the fluted surfaces of member 17 and strain on the rope is released slightly. Since the space bet-ween the fluted ends of member 17 taper from a width equal to the diameter of the rope to a width considerably less than the diameter ofthe the aws. that the flutes conform with the surface of rope it is apparent that as soon as the rope has been taken in between the jaws strain is released entirely upon the rope, and the weight of the load will draw the rope fur "ther into the jaws and will securely fasten it inthat position. An outward motion of the rope, even as slight as 2 degrees from a vertical line is suiiicient to cause the rope to hold. There is no possibility of the load slipping, since the harder the, strain the tighter the rope will be drawn in between The fluted jaws are so designed the rope and are not injurious in anyway to its strands. The tapering of the opening between the jaws permits of a rope in any condition being used. The lower portion of the opening is designed to engage absolutely new rope, and the upperportion allows an older rope, worn toa smaller diameterto be used equally well. To release the load a slight pull in the direction of arrow 0 is sufficient to release the rope from between the jaws and by keeping the hauling part in an approximately vertical position, the load can be lowered as desired.

It will now be apparent that I havedevised a novel and useful construction which i embodies the features of advantage enumerated as'desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description and while I have in the present instance shown" and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practicefto give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advanta es.

1. In a tackle-block spaced side-plates and a dividing-plate therebetween, sheaves, a rope reeved with respect to said sheaves and a member rigidly fixed between said sideplates and straddling the dividing-plate,

said member terminating at one end .in a

tackle-block support and terminating at its sheaves.

and a member fixed between sai'dside plates' and straddling the dividing-plate said member terminating at one end in a tackle-block support and terminating at its other endin a bifurcated jaw formed upon an arc of a circle and extending anappreciable distance beyond the axis of and facing one of said 3. "In a tackle-block, spaced side-plates and a dividing-plate therebetween, sheaves, a rope reeved with respect to said sheaves and a member fixed between said side-plates and straddling the dividing-plate said member terminating-at one end in altackle-iblock support and terminating at its other endzin a bifurcatedjaw formed upon an :arc' of a circle and extending an appreciablefdistance beyond the axis of and facing one of said sheaves, the bifurcated portion of said shape.

jaw I being substantially of inverted 'V- and a dividing-plate therebetween, sheaves, I I

a rope reeved with respect to said sheaves and a memberfixed between (said side-plates and straddling the dividing-plate said mem- -ber terminating at oneend in a tackle-block support and terminating at its other end in a bifurcated jaw formedupon an arc of a circle and extending an appreciable distance beyond the axisof and facing onepf said sheaves, the opposed faces of said jaw being fluted.

5. In a tackle-block, spaced sideplates and a dividing-plate therebetween, sheaves, 1 I

a rope reeved with respect to said-sheaves 1 and a member fixed'between said side-plates andstraddlingthe dividing-platesaid mem- 9 her terminating at one end in a tackle-block support andterminating at its other end in a bifurcated jawformed upon an arcof {a circle and extending an appreciable dis-y tance beyondthe axis of and "facing one of said sheaves, said tackle-block-supportand jaw comprising an integral structure. I

6. In a tackle-block, spaced side-plates and a dividing-plate therebetween, sheaves,- a rope reeved with respect to said sheaves and member fixed between said side-plates and straddling the dividing-plate said member terminating at one end in atackle-bloek support'and terminating at its other end 1 in a bifurcated jaw formed upon an arc of a circle and extending anappreciable dis tance beyond the axis ofand facing one of said sheaves, the opposed faces of said-jaw being fluted upon arcs of circles "concentric -with the circumferenceof a sheavel Y i. In a tackle-block, spaced side-plates, a

sheave adapted to be traversed by a rope, a member rigidly fixed between said plates, said member terminating at one end in a tackle-block support and terminating at its other end in a bifurcated jaw disposed opposite said sheave to receive the hoisting portion of said rope.

8. In a tackle-block spaced side-plates, a sheave journaled therebetween and adapted to be traversed by a hoisting rope, and means rigidly fixed in a detachable manner with respect to said plates and projected outwardly therefrom upon an arc of a circle concentric with the sheave and extending an appreciable distance beyond the axis of and facing said sheave said means being arranged to automatically lock the hoisting rope when said rope is moved angularly away from its hoisting position.

9. In a tackle-block, spaced side-plates, a sheave journaled therebetween and adapted to be traversed by a hoisting rope and means including a wedge-jaw rigidly fixed in a detachable manner with respect to said plates and projected outwardly therefrom upon an arc of a circle concentric with the sheave and extending an appreciable distance beyond the axis of and facing said sheave said means being arranged to lock said hoisting rope when the rope is moved angularly away from its hoisting position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

W. J. LEE. Q 

